Thursday, February 28, 2008

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

The editors of Marie Claire advise against bad tips, blow-drying, and cleaning your gun. I'll take their word for it, and i choose some of them, and i add "Things a Man Should Never Do in the Company of a Woman - whom he wants to impress" ;)

1 - Reveal how much your car cost.

2 - Polish high school trophies (which you still have displayed).

3 - Refer to your mother as your best friend.

4 - Blow-dry your hair.

5 - Celebrity impressions.

6 - Forget to carry cash. (IMPORTANT FOR MAN AND WOMEN)

7 - Flip it, flop it, swing it around, tug on it, adjust it, scratch it, or do anything that will remind us that it's just a goofy appendage and not a mystical source of pleasure and satisfaction. (VERY IMPORTANT)

8 - Use the words bitch, slut, tramp, or whore, unless referring to another man. (IMPORTANT)

Monday, February 25, 2008

Kefir is a refreshing cultured-milk beverage, which many centuries ago, originated in the Caucasus Mountains. The word kefir is said to be derived from the Turkish word keif, which loosely translates to good feeling or feeling good. This is quite possibly because drinking kefir is renowned to increase a sense of well-being.

Traditional authentic kefir can only be prepared by culturing fresh milk with Kefir grains.

Kefir grains, or kefir granules if you wish, are in fact a natural-starter or natural mother-culture.

Kefir grains increase in overall volume, numbers of, and by weight, as the grains are self-purpetuating when continually cultured in fresh milk to prepare kefir

Because kefir is such a balanced and nourishing food, it contributes to a healthy immune system and has been used to help patients suffering from AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, herpes, and cancer.

Its tranquilizing effect on the nervous system has benefited many who suffer from sleep disorders, depression, and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

The regular use of kefir can help relieve all intestinal disorders, promote bowel movement, reduce flatulence and create a healthier digestive system.

In addition, its cleansing effect on the whole body helps to establish a balanced inner ecosystem for optimum health and longevity.

Kefir can also help eliminate unhealthy food cravings by making the body more nourished and balanced. Its excellent nutritional content offers healing and health-maintenance benefits to people in every type of condition.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

I'm slightly at a loss with what to call this... let's see if I get inspired.

I forgot to say something on week 1: for one of the first times I got a "benefit" for being a woman. Meaning: while I was preparing myself psychologically to get additional 2 kg of laptop by changing my Dell latitude 410 by a 600 and something, and I get the 430 - even lighter than my old one. Explanation of the IT guy: well, as a default we give the lighter version to ladies, since more than once we have had to change the laptops after a few days because it is just too heavy. Well, my back thanks the chivalry! :-P

Week 2 brought one of the most hated activities of moving in: house hunting. No way around it, I really don't like it - as much as I want to find a place to call my own and have my stuff around me (I'm almost out of books to read... and all those little trinkets that fill up all the available shelves and drawers and God knows what else actually have a purpose every now and then). Diane (the real estate agent, or one of my baby sitters) is quite nice and I think she got the feeling of what I'm looking for. We go for a walking trip (pity that she hasn't told me in advance, flat shoes would have been more appropriate... especially after 3 hrs!). A few problems, though: rents are incredibly expensive for the space you get. 575 GBP / week for 65 sq mtrs??? And the problem is that it is hard to get bigger apartments, even for higher budgets. I wonder how the bed is going to fit. Is it going to fit???? Easier to find furnished apartments, what is not what I'm looking for. And, biggest of all issues, I have to make my mind of where I want to live, which can be a bit difficult without really knowing the city...

Hummm... By the end of the day, my energy is drained and I'm reasonably down... Nothing that a good night's sleep and some reflexion doesn't solve. However, someone should explain current boss that I'm quite bad with mornings generically and that some days I just wake up on the wrong side of the bed - in which case, just leave me to it and I'll get over it, sooner or later. He was actually worried??!! Past boss didn't do a proper handover :-P

Anyway, after agreeing that we would look a bit around before trying to close down the housing issue (after all, i't has been less than 2 weeks!), things move on...

A bit of mom's wisdom in the process: when it comes to yourself, you hate choices. And she is right!

Thursday is pay day and also disappointment day with English banking. I finally get money in my bank account but I still don't have a pin to the debit card. Solution: go to the branch and withdraw money at the cashier. What????? I haven't done that in YEARS! Not in the Netherlands, not in Switzerland and in Portugal the last time that I had something to do with cash at a branch, was because I had to deposit something and the ATM was not working. In addition, the same system that forces me to use my two surnames because "that's what's in your passport", also messes it up for misspelling these surnames and merging them into one - reason for which the credit card got lost, was retrieved but too late and now needs to be re-issued - hopefully with the correct name this time. Bureaucracy? On the phone with the Credit Card Services and I ask to change an address that they changed without asking. No, we can't. Call your branch and have them call us with the changes. ??????????? Cherry on top of the whipped cream: I go to net banking and I cannot find the international transfers, so I call the help desk. Oh, there's no such thing. If you want to do an international transfer you have to go to the branch. OK, if I am a complicated person that's my own fault, I know. It's nobody else's fault (except probably the tax departments in Netherlands and Switzerland and the Unilever Company in Switzerland, all of whom have some pending issues with my finances). However, I do need to move money around and I don't really fancy 1 trip a month to nice NatWest New Bridge Street branch to fill in 2 or 3 forms..., between 9 and 5. Either is is solvable via the phone banking or soon I will be looking for another bank, with internet banking options as main criteria...

Now, I assume this sounds as an odd thing, a peculiarity for most normal people... but it is a peculiarity that CGD, Santander (Portugal), ABN AMRO (Netherlands) and UBS (Switzerland) all cater for - and these are the ones I know.

In the meanwhile, I get more proof about the country's obsession with food: there's a chef programme every night! Today I even zapped through two simultaneously - one of them being Jamie's at Home and may all of Jamie's fans forgive me (and him as well) but he must be half crazy... Either that or there is a new form of Red Bull made of Olive Oil and raw Peas and Broad Beans :-P Lovely!

One day to go until weekend... I should be working, there are some lovely Excel files waiting to be properly completed :-P

Beijinhos!

PS: found a title, at last... ;-) and if you got this far, you must be very patient!

PS2: talk about clouds with silver lining: little Tamas was born this morning in Hungary to a proud and healthy mom that less than one year ago was facing a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Shouldn't that be more than enough to put a smile in my face? It is! :-D

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Here's what is happening in India :The two Ambani brothers can buy 100 percent of every company listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) and would still be left with $30 billion to spare. The four richest Indians can buy up all goods and services produced over a year by 169 million Pakistanis and still be left with $60 billion to spare. The four richest Indians are now richer than the forty richest Chinese.In November, Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark Sensex flirted with 20,000 points. As a consequence, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries became a $100 billion company (the entire KSE is capitalized at $65 billion). Mukesh owns 48 percent of Reliance.

In November, comes Neeta's birthday. Neeta turned forty-four three weeks ago. Look what she got from her husband as her birthday present: A sixty-million dollar jet with a custom fitted master bedroom, bathroom with mood lighting, a sky bar, entertainment cabins, satellite television, wireless communication and a separate cabin with game consoles. Neeta is Mukesh Ambani's wife, and Mukesh is not India 's richest but the second richest.

Mukesh is now building his new home, Residence Antillia (after a mythical, phantom island somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean ). At a cost of $1 billion this would be the most expensive home on the face of the planet. At 173 meters tall Mukesh's new family residence, for a family of six, will be the equivalent of a 60-storeyed building. The first six floors are reserved for parking. The seventh floor is for car servicing and maintenance. The eighth floor houses a mini-theatre. Then there's a health club, a gym and a swimming pool. Two floors are reserved for Ambani family's guests. Four flo ors above the guest floors are family floors all with a superb view of the Arabian Sea . On top of everything are three helipads. A staff of 600 is expected to care for the family and their family home.

In 2004, India became the 3rd most attractive foreign direct investment destination. Pakistan wasn't even in the top 25 countries. In 2004, the United Nations, the representative body of 192 sovereign member states, had requested the Election Commission of India to assist the UN in the holding elections in Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah and Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan. Why the Election Commission of India and not the Election Commission of Pakistan ? After all, Islamabadis closer to Kabulthan is Delhi .

Imagine, 12 percent of all American scientists are of Indian origin; 38 percent of doctors in America are Indian; 36 percent of NASA scientists are Indians; 34 percent of Microsoft employees are Indians; and 28 percent of IBM employees are Indians.

For the record: Sabeer Bhatia created and founded Hotmail. Sun Microsystems was founded by Vinod Khosla. The Intel Pentium processor, that runs 90 percent of all computers, was fathered by Vinod Dham. Rajiv Gupta co-invented Hewlett Packard's E-speak project. Four out of ten Silicon Valley start-ups are run by Indians. Bollywood produces 800 movies per year and six Indian ladies have won Miss Universe/Miss World titles over the past 10 years.

For the record: Azim Premji, the richest Muslim entrepreneur on the face of the planet, was born in Bombay and now lives in Bangalore.India now has more than three dozen billionaires; Pakistan has none (not a single dollar billionaire).

The other amazing aspect is the rapid pace at which India is creating wealth. In 2002, Dhirubhai Ambani, Mukesh and Anil Ambani's father, left his two sons a fortune worth $2.8 billion. In 2007, their combined wealth stood at $94 billion. On 29 October 2007, as a result of the stock market rally and the appreciation of the Indian rupee, Mukesh became the richest person in the world, with net worth climbing to US$63.2 billion (Bill Gates, the richest American, stands at around $56 billion).

Indians and Pakistanis have the same Y-chromosome haplo group. We have the same genetic sequence and the same genetic marker (namely: M124). We have the same DNA molecule, the same DNA sequence. Our culture, our traditions and our cuisine are all the same. We watch the same movies and sing the same songs. What is it that Indians have and we don't?

Rumour has it that within the party the support wasn't the same. So before death takes him, either naturally or commissioned, the General has decided to retire. So far "brother" Raul will keep on his stand. Lets see what future brings....

Monday, February 18, 2008

As we are all getting older :D and wiser, here are some simple advices:

1 - Put your blow-dryer on cold and make your lotions do more

Use your blow-dryer on a cold setting to dry your lotion and sunscreen, says dermatologist Fredric Brandt. Allowing skin care products to set makes your makeup go on more smoothly and last longer.

2 - Use a sleep-time moisturizer

If the number of night creams coming onto the market is any indication, the right time to pamper your skin is when you hit the sack. Cosmetic chemists know, for example, that many anti-aging ingredients stay active longer when they're not exposed to sunlight.

3 - Sleep flat on your back

Smashing your face into a pillow creates fold lines that eventually become permanent if they're repeated every night. Spending time on your back also helps counter the effects of gravity that accumulate during the day. At night, you get a chance to reverse that.

The "land of the free", that so much defends the "God-given" right to guns and then surprises itself with high-school and college killings, is a prude, "decent", country. One can flash anything but not tits!So, just to make sure Amy Winehouse wouldn't get too naked on stage, she was advise to cover the "boobs" for the Grammy Awards.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Warning: what you are about to read is most centainly and unapologetically biased. It is based on impressions of less than 7 full days, on a limited sample of people and events. The writer discards all liability. Continue at your own wish and risk of getting bored.

OK everyone, now that we have the formalities taken care of, let's seriously bother you? Ok? Lovely, then...

Day 1 (11.02): How the hell did I get to 60kg of checked in luggage, 3 suitases and... better not to mention the amount of overweight charge that I paid... (and fortunately they have not checked the hand lugagge, for sure way above any weight limit). Moving in the winter is crap, winter clothes just weight too much :-P Almost no personal objects in this lot (and I have to survive without them until Easter, that's 6 weeks). OK, more crappy is to have myself moving countries but keeping my stuff in the departure zone for so long... The sun shines in Zurich, the flight is supposed to be short, the mobiles are almost without battery but that shouldn't be a problem, surely I can be not reachable for a couple of hours?Oops... we are sort of delayed... by 1h30 already... (longer than the flight should take). Ok, here we go... it's one of those Fokker planes again (grrrr). What is the captain saying? Fog in London, the flight delayed until after lunch and let's get back to the terminal to get some food. OK; better let bosses present and past know that I won't get to the office today. Quick lunch and here we go again, this time we depart - only 4h delay, all in all. London City is a tiny airport, we actually walk on the ground from the plane to the terminal. Gorgeous day, though, that part can be taken in as good omen. Still no battery, and no taxi either, got lost with all delays. Another 40 min waiting for it to arrive, while the phone is charging in the information desk and I get to play silent oberver... The most absolutely gay young man talking to the ladies at the desk... but really, there was no stereotype that he missed :-P Only here - or for sure not in conservative Switzerland.While boss is reassured that we will submit the blessed forecast on Wednesday even if I am not in the office today, we reach what will be home for the coming weeks. 100m from Saint Paul's Cathedral (for better and for worse, till bells draw us apart), carino l'appartamento. A small lighting issue that would prevent Inês from sleeping: a street light just by my window (1st floor apartment...) - well, and me as well, even with all my Dutch practice - and a small sound issue as well (coming from Zen Agnesstrasse, where one can sleep even with the demolition, the narrow street is suddendly lively at 4 am, be it due to the youth hostel nearby or to some traffic).

Day 2: Welcome to 100 Victoria Embankment! We start with issuing the card (dreadful picture, as always happens) and with an induction. Remember: if there's fire, go to Carmelite (but isn't this a protestant country???). Jogging at lunchtime (you must be joking, right?)? There are changing rooms in the ground floor. The building is completely renewed, view is fantastic (especially as the Sun stays for a few more days :-) ), time to setlle down. No sign of the new computer yet, but at least the new mobile is around, so I can play a bit with it ;-)In the streets, everyone is just so busy and fast. People everywhere! And I'm still amazed with the well dressed ladies walking in sneakers. A few of them also in desperately high heels... No way avoiding feeling under-dressed when walking in the street... (and girls, yes, I know that the answer is shopping but see following days on why that has to wait a bit).

Day 3: Thank God for Marks & Spencer Simply Foods that has been feeding me for the last few days... There's no normal supermarket in sight, which led me to walk a bit longer today until I could find a small supermarket where I could buy some dishwasher... This is an apartment for 1, so there's 4 of everything: cups, plates, glasses... Quickly running out of clean dishes! Also no microwave? Bah... I need to find an online store for basic supplies (don't feel like going up and down tube stations with heavy shopping bags) but the laptop stayed at work today for data migration... I feel empty without the computer... and what shall I do at work?

Day 4 (14.02): Oh dear, I've landed in Bridget Jones' land!!! Happy Valentine's??????? One of the secretaries is very much in the mood for the day, and since she is one of the few people around (and probably the one speaking the most), you cannot avoid hearing it! Boh!!!!My Valentine gift is getting my laptop back and then getting the new one at the end of the day - past boss was shocked when I said that this was my Valentine gift... He should know about my "real" Valentine's experiences to understand why I prefer the laptop bit.Next experience: the bank. The account has been opened but now I need to get to a branch to get my cards and stuff (apparently, they don't send it to a work address... Complicated guys!). Here is where it gets strange: I have a bank account and no money on it, a debit card active but with no pin and a credit card of which I have the pin but not the card.... Ah, and a cheque book (never had one in NL or CH). Shopping? Limited to first needs, as it means withdrawing cash from CH's account or buying in pounds in credit cards either in Euro or CHF.

Day 5: It's good to be happy with simple things... Like spending one day back and forth with a system, taking forever to do something simple but learning how it works... and how I can replace automatically that annoying "NULL" with 0 :-P and finding out by myself how to retrieve my missing .pab. Oh, remember the non existing microwave? It exists... it's combined with the oven :-P Lol!!!

Day 6: Saturday... let's be a turist. Still not today that I go inside Saint Paul's (still find it a robbery, especially when compared to Saint Peter's in Rome) but let's get some Oyster Cards (advice from other expats: get more than one... your visitors will use it, if no one else), and head to Oxford Street. People everywhere, no one still. That's the feeling: there's a lot of movement, every time, everywhere... "Bulício que não acaba mais". A bit of window shopping and get a lunch to eat in Hyde Park. It's sunny but cold, so, with the afternoon reaching half, I head back "home", with a small stop for supply management - finding another small supermarket. Matilde (my headache) came for another visit, so some tea and pain killer are the best way to garantee a smoot evening, in the company of the second of the 3 books that I brought... I'll be in trouble soon, with nothing to read - how am I going to escape working on my delayed stuff? :-P

Day 7: It seems that Im not only in the City, I'm also in the middle of a bell contest! Dio!!!! Small outing for getting some sun and exploring some stores, just a couple of hours. Then back because, though the apartment is serviced (meaning someone will clean it once a week, what a luxury!) I still need to do the laundry and, most annoying of all, the ironing. My quest for the milk pan was not successful, nor the one for a decently-sized mug - hey, I like my warm milk with my coffee and before I leave the house - not that there is any lack of Starbuck's around!

And what else?Two national obsessions: eating well and "property". I've seen at least 4 different TV shows about people who want to buy and sell houses and apartments. Plus, the real estate agency that will help me find my next home tells me on Friday that they cannot let me know on what we are supposed to see on Tuesday, because the market is so volatile. The food issue is equally maniac: how many of your "5-a-day", Cooking shows (not only Jamie, though I have to say that he is tiresome, just cooks too fast! and is obsessed with olive oil!), chef shows, eat well, dieting is sad (from Pret) but it is easy to diet with Marks & Spencer...

The E.U. is trying desperatly to stop the trend of overweight on the young population. Stuffed with fast foods and sweets and couch-potatoing in front of the telly or the computer, kids are getting not chubby but right down overweight.

So, if kids like to eat so much, how about making them like Good Foods? And meanwhile teach the parents too? So Mini-Chefs was created :-)

Well its dark, sweet, rich and delicious…surpasses age; gender, culture, creed and people have even been known to lie about it… any clue?

Obidos is a magical little place embraced by huge stone walls protecting a medieval castle inside, and feels a lot like a mini medieval wonderland year round and now it will be swathed in people and chocolate for two entire weeks.

So, whether you like Dark, Milk, Semi Sweet, Bitter, White…you can fill that gap of indulgence and then some with chocolate treats from all over Europe.

And in case you’re short on excuse to eat more chocolate, try these:

Its been proven to be good for youIt doesn’t cause obesityIt doesn’t cause acne or breakoutsIt’s the best way to say, I’m sorry and I love you

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Monday, February 11, 2008

The Fiat 500 Pepita, it is Italy's iconic small car painted with the same 24k gold micro-powder paint.

The side walls of the tires are also brushed with gold and frame a set of aftermarket wheels from OZ; the dash has been covered with Australian mother of pearl inlay; the gear shift, hand brake and pedals are lined with Swarovski crystals and the designer floor mats are made out of cashmere.

The car costs about 60,000 euro, but they will be more than happy to customize one for you by upholstering the interior with the skin of crocodile, snake, shark, rayfish or lizard, as well as dumping the Swarovski crystal for one of 48 other precious stones.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

The best companion throughout the sad and happy times, lonely and crowded rides, words for the soul and music for the heart! Toše Proeski will remain a part of my life as a distant friend and a guardian angel! In loving memoriam...

Friday, February 1, 2008

Overshadowed by larger, wealthier and more flashy European countries with world-renowned design specialties — Italian lighting, Scandinavian furniture, French fashion — Portugal has long hid on the Continent's margin both geographically and creatively.

For years, the best-known cultural contributions from this small seafaring nation were those stewed up in cauldrons from humble materials like squid and cod.

But that is changing, and no place embodies Portugal's emergence as a serious design destination better than the waterside Santos quarter of Lisbon.

The splashiest evidence is the Boavista site, where Norman Foster is designing a futuristic tower and commercial complex that will be filled with “galleries, studios, showrooms, exhibitions, performances, cinema, auditorium, cafes, shops, bars and restaurants,” in the words of its press materials. The goal is to create a project that “promotes the worlds of design and the arts.”

MIMOA is an on-line contemporary architecture guide. It’s a geo-referenced database with an inventory of relevant architecture objects across Europe. Done in collaboration with A10 magazine and supported by the Dutch government, MIMOA has several particularities that make success highly expectable.

The database is open and collaborative. Everyone can participate adding projects (with description and images), and inscribing them on the interactive map – an editing team confirms the validity of the added information.

With MIMOA it’s easy to gather that data; project details always include exact address, visiting hours and info on the best public transport access.

Among the tales of depravity and violence that dominate this year's Academy Awards race sits the bright and shining "Ratatouille." A rat never seemed so sanitized.The Pixar film landed five Oscar nominations and was ranked by many critics as one of the year's best, yet was never a serious contender for best picture. Instead, it was relegated to the relatively new category of best animated feature, which the academy began dolling out in 2002.

Directed by Brad Bird, "Ratatouille" has garnered an aggregate score of 96 on Metacritic.com, ranking it above "Pulp Fiction"